Sponsored: The Latest Advancements in Prenatal Screening

Get the facts on the long-term benefits of Panorama's noninvasive prenatal screening for women of all ages.

Rafe Swan | Getty Images

Every mom-to-be wants to rest assured that her baby is healthy. One of the easiest ways to get this peace of mind is through early noninvasive prenatal screening tests (NIPTs). These days, a simple blood test like Natera's Panorama™ can be done as early as 9 weeks into your pregnancy and it can tell you with high accuracy that your baby is at low risk for the most common chromosomal abnormalities — or if there's any reason to be concerned.

More effective than a traditional serum screening, Panorama is the first NIPT of its kind to differentiate between maternal and cell-free fetal DNA, which means that it examines small amounts of fetal DNA found in the mom’s blood to assess the baby’s risk for chromosomal abnormalities, such as extra or missing chromosomes, and microdeletions (a missing piece of a chromosome).

Panorama detects more chromosomal conditions than traditional serum screening. Plus, it offers quick results. In about a week, you can find out your baby's risk level for a variety of different genetic disorders. The test can also tell you whether your baby is a boy or a girl at 9 weeks.

Most women who opt for NIPT find out that their babies are at low risk for the conditions tested, which can be reassuring for any mom-to-be. If there is a high-risk result, you’ll be able to talk to your doctor immediately and start gathering the information you need to make decisions about follow-up testing and, if needed, plans for pregnancy management and early interventions.

While some chromosomal abnormalities, like Down syndrome, are more likely to occur in pregnancies of women over 35, others, such as microdeletions, occur equally across all age groups, which is why Panorama is beneficial for expectant moms of all ages — not just high-risk mothers.

Early NIPT offers a number of additional benefits. For example, it can reduce unwanted invasive prenatal diagnostic tests like amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling due to a much lower false positive rate than traditional serum screening. Early risk assessment and a follow-up diagnosis can also help you prepare for your baby’s arrival and enable you to take measures for the safest birth possible, which may include delivering at a specialized hospital or monitoring your baby for possible complications, like heart defects.

Another important factor to consider is that some chromosomal abnormalities, like microdeletion — including one of the most common microdeletions: the 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q) — can be difficult to diagnose at birth, and therefore, may go undiagnosed for years, preventing early interventions that could otherwise improve a child’s outcome and quality of life. Such early interventions may include:

Surgery, therapy, or other medical treatment as soon as the baby is born

Heart monitoring and/or repair in infancy

Surgical interventions for palatal differences

Calcium supplementation, which may be recommended to correct low calcium levels

Occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, and special education, which may be recommended in childhood

Treatment for other endocrine imbalances like over- or underactive thyroid or growth hormone deficiency

Natera has partnered with an advocacy group focused on genetic abnormality. In partnership with The International 22q11.2 Foundation, Natera is working to raise awareness about microdeletions and the early screenings and interventions available for these chromosomal conditions.

Knowledge is power, and knowing more about your baby’s health and development will make you breathe easier throughout your pregnancy. Panorama can give you highly accurate information about your baby's health and gender very early on in your pregnancy from a simple blood draw, regardless of your age. Talk to your doctor or visit panoramatest.com to learn more about NIPT with Panorama.

The material on this website is provided for educational purposes only and is not to be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, or in place of therapy or medical care. Use of this site is subject to our terms of use and privacy policy.